1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing an information record medium, the information record medium, an information recording apparatus and an information recording method, which can effectively avoid an illegal copy of record information recorded on the information record medium, such as a DVD or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an optical disc having a large storage capacity represented by a DVD has been rapidly popularized as an information record medium for recording thereon various contents such as image, voice and the like. Those contents recorded as digital data on the information record medium such as a DVD or the like are typically protected by copyrights. Thus, it is necessary to take some measures to avoid those contents from being illegally copied to other record media.
As one of the countermeasures against the illegal copy, there is a method of carrying out a scramble by using key data written to a predetermined area when the contents are reproduced from the information record medium. For example, in a case of a DVD format, such key data is written together with copy prohibition information as control data in a lead-in area, so that it is possible to avoid the illegal copy of the information record medium.
However, there may be such a case that, for the information record medium in which the copy is prohibited as mentioned above, the hard copy is tried to another information record medium as a whole irrespectively of the content of the key data of the scramble or the copy prohibition information, by reading an RF (Radio Frequency) signal from DVD-ROM or the like. Recently, a DVD recordable (DVD-R) type, to which information can be recorded only one time, and a repeatedly recordable DVD rewritable (DVD-RW) type are developed. Thus, by writing the above-mentioned RF signal onto the DVD-R or the DVD-RW, it is possible to produce an optical disc having the same data content as that of the original information record medium. This results in the infringement of copyright.
The present invention is proposed in view of the above mentioned problems. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a writable information record medium in which an illegal copy of the information record medium can be effectively protected even if a hard copy is tried by reading an RF signal from the information record medium, an apparatus for manufacturing such an information record medium, and an information recording apparatus for and an information recording method of recording information onto such an information record medium.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by an apparatus for manufacturing an information record medium, on which record information can be recorded one time or a plurality of times by a predetermined record format, by using a stamper. The manufacturing apparatus is provided with an embossed pit array forming device for forming on the stamper as an embossed pit array, pre-record data which is a predetermined data row to disable overwriting on the record information in a pre-record area, which is set in advance in a range including an area assigned to information required to control a reproduction of the record information, which is recorded by the predetermined record format.
In one aspect of the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the information record medium has a lead-in area located prior to a data area where the record information is recorded, and the pre-record area is located in a control data area within the lead-in area.
In this case, the record information may be recorded on the information record medium by a DVD format, and the pre-record area may be set in an arrangement including at least a record area for predetermined control information in the control data area, same arrangement being repeated over a plurality of continuous ECC blocks each having a same data structure.
Further, a lead position of the pre-record area may be set in an arrangement not overlapping with a synchronization code-located at a lead of each synchronization frame constituting the ECC blocks.
In another aspect of the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the manufacturing apparatus is further provided with. a wobbling amplitude varying device for increasing an amplitude of wobbling in the pre-record area, with respect to an information record medium to which wobbling is applied by wobbling a record track, on which the record information is recorded, at a constant frequency.
According to the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, when cutting the stamper to manufacture the information record medium, the pre-record area is judged and the embossed pit array corresponding to the pre-record data is formed in this pre-record area. Then, the same embossed pit array is formed on the information record medium manufactured by using this stamper, so that another record information cannot be overwritten on the embossed pit array. Especially, if it is tried to copy all of the data of another information record medium, which is exclusive for reproduction and whose record format is common, onto this information record medium produced by the present invention, the information required to perform the reproduction control such as the key data for scramble etc., is missed. Consequently, it is possible to effectively avoid the illegal copy.
Here, in the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, in case of manufacturing the information record medium having the lead in area including the control data area, it is preferable to set the pre-record area in this control data area. By this, it is possible to appropriately avoid overwriting with respect to various control information.
Also, in the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, in case of manufacturing the information record medium based on the DVD format, it is preferable that the arrangement of the pre-record area is set such that it covers the predetermined control information in the control data area and that, if the ECC blocks each having the same data structure are repeated, the same arrangement of the pre-record area is repeated over those ECC blocks. By this, it is possible to avoid the illegal copy from the information record medium, on which the key data for scramble etc., is written in the disc production information.
Also, in the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, it is preferred that the boundary of the pre-record area is not overlapped with the synchronization code, which is set at the lead when the respective ECC block is divided into synchronization frames. By this, at the time of reproducing the record information, it is possible to certainly detect the synchronization code.
Further, in the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable, in case of manufacturing the DVD etc., to which wobbling is applied, to cut the stamper such that the amplitude of the wobbling is increased at the portion where the embossed pit array is formed. By this, it is possible to compensate the reduction in the level of the wobbling signal as the reflection light amount from the record track is reduced due to the formation of the embossed pit array.
The above object of the invention can be also achieved by an information record medium, on which record information can be recorded one time or a plurality of times by a predetermined record format. The information record medium is provided with: a pre-record area set in advance in a range including an area assigned to information required to control a reproduction of the record information, which is recorded by the predetermined record format; and pre-record data formed as an embossed pit array which is a predetermined data row to disable overwriting on the record information in the pre-record area.
In one aspect of the information record medium of the present invention, the information record medium has a lead-in area located prior to a data area where the record information is recorded, and the pre-record area is located in a control data area within the lead-in area.
In this case, the record information may be recorded on the information record medium by a DVD format, and the pre-record area may be set in an arrangement including at least a record area for predetermined control information in the control data area, same arrangement being repeated over a plurality of continuous ECC blocks each having a same data structure.
Further in this case, a lead position of the pre-record area may be set in an arrangement not overlapping with a synchronization code located at a lead of each synchronization frame constituting the ECC blocks.
In another aspect of the information record medium of the present invention, wobbling is applied by wobbling a record track, on which the record information is recorded, at a constant frequency, and an amplitude of wobbling in the pre-record area is higher than that in other areas.
According to the information record medium of the present invention, the embossed pit array corresponding to the pre-record data is formed in the pre-record area of the information record medium, on which the record information can be recorded one time or a plurality of times such as a DVD-R or DVD-RW. Thus, in this portion, other record information cannot be overwritten. Especially, if it is tried to copy all of the data of another information record medium, which is exclusive for reproduction and whose record format is common, onto this information record medium of the present invention, the information required to perform the reproduction control such as the key data for scramble etc., is missed. Consequently, it is possible to effectively avoid the illegal copy.
Here, in case of the information record medium having the lead in area including the control data area, it is preferable to set the pre-record area in this control data area. By this, it is possible to appropriately avoid overwriting with respect to various control information.
Also, in case of the information record medium on which the record information is recorded by the DVD format, it is preferable that the arrangement of the pre-record area is set such that it covers the predetermined control information in the control data area and that, if the ECC blocks each having the same data structure are repeated, the same arrangement of the pre-record area is repeated over those ECC blocks. By this, it is possible to avoid the illegal copy from the information record medium, on which the key data for scramble etc., is written in the disc production information.
Also, it is preferred that the boundary of the pre-record area is not overlapped with the synchronization code, which is set at the lead when the respective ECC block is divided into synchronization frames. By this, at the time of reproducing the record information, it is possible to certainly detect the synchronization code.
Further, it is preferable, in case of the DVD etc., to which wobbling is applied, to cut the stamper such that the amplitude of the wobbling is increased at the portion where the embossed pit array is formed. By this, it is possible to compensate the reduction in the level of the wobbling signal as the reflection light amount from the record track is reduced due to the formation of the embossed pit array.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a first information recording apparatus for recording record information onto an information record medium by a predetermined record format. The first information recording apparatus is provided with: an area judging device for judging a pre-record area, which is set in advance in a range including an area assigned to information required to control a reproduction of the record information, which is recorded by the predetermined record format, with respect to an information record medium on which the record information can be recorded one time and on which an embossed pit array is not formed in the pre-record area; and a pre-record data writing device for writing pre-record data, which is a predetermined data row to disable overwriting on the record information, by laser-recording with respect to the pre-record area judged by the area judging device.
According to the first information recording apparatus of the present invention, in advance of actually recording the record information onto the information record medium, the pre-record area is judged, and if the embossed pit array is not formed in this judged pre-record area, it is performed to write the pre-record data by laser recording. Then, since writing the record information onto this information record medium can be performed only one time, it is not possible to overwrite another record information in the pre-record area. Especially, if it is tried to copy all of the data of another information record medium, which is exclusive for reproduction and whose record format is common, onto this information record medium produced by the present invention, the information required to perform the reproduction control such as the key data for scramble etc., is missed. Consequently, it is possible to effectively avoid the illegal copy.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a second information recording apparatus for recording record information onto an information record medium by a predetermined record format with irradiating a light beam at a predetermined power onto the information record medium. The second information recording apparatus is provided with: a pre-record data judging device for judging whether pre-record data, which is a predetermined data row to disable overwriting on the record information, is formed as an embossed pit array or is formed by laser recording with respect to the information record medium on which the pre-record data has been already written; a modulation degree judging device for judging whether a modulation degree of a detection signal based on the pre-record data is low as compared with a predetermined reference; and a power controller for controlling a power of the light beam to be a record power for the pre-record area if the pre-record data is judged to be formed as the embossed pit array and if the modulation degree is judged to be low, and controlling the power of the light beam to be smaller than the record power for the pre-record area if the pre-record data is not judged to be formed as the embossed pit array or if the modulation degree is not judged to be low.
In one aspect of the first or second information recording apparatus of the present invention, the information record medium has a lead-in area located prior to a data area where the record information is recorded, and the pre-record area is located in a control data area within the lead-in area.
In this case, the record information may be recorded on the information record medium by a DVD format, and the pre-record area may be set in an arrangement including at least a record area for predetermined control information in the control data area, same arrangement being repeated over a plurality of continuous ECC blocks each having a same data structure.
Further in this case, a lead position of the pre-record area may be set in an arrangement not overlapping with a synchronization code located at a lead of each synchronization frame constituting the ECC blocks.
According to the second information recording apparatus of the present invention, at the time of recording the record information onto the information record medium, on which the pre-record data has been already recorded, it is judged whether this pre-record data is recorded by the embossed pit array or by laser recording, by reading a predetermined flag for example. Further, the high and low relationship of the modulation degree of the detection signal based on the emboss pit array is checked. Then, in case that the emboss pit is formed and if the modulation degrees is low, the power of the light beam is controlled to be the record power. In other cases, the power of the light beam is controlled to be much lower than the record power such as the reproduction power for example. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the modulation degree from being reduced in the detection signal of the pre-record data due to the influence of the pigment film coated on the embossed pit array.
Here, in case of recording the information record medium having the lead in area including the control data area by the first or second information recording apparatus, it is preferable to set the pre-record area in this control data area. By this, it is possible to appropriately avoid overwriting with respect to various control information.
Also, in case of recording the information record medium on which the record information is recorded by the DVD format, it is preferable that the arrangement of the pre-record area is set such that it covers the predetermined control information in the control data area and that, if the ECC blocks each having the same data structure are repeated, the same arrangement of the pre-record area is repeated over those ECC blocks. By this, it is possible to avoid the illegal copy from the information record medium, on which the key data for scramble etc., is written in the disc production information.
Also, it is preferred that the boundary of the pre-record area is not overlapped with the synchronization code, which is set at the lead when the respective ECC block is divided into synchronization frames. By this, at the time of reproducing the record information, it is possible to certainly detect the synchronization code.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a first information recording method of recording record information onto an information record medium by a predetermined record format. The first information recording method is provided with: an area judging process of judging a pre-record area, which is set in advance in a range including an area assigned to information required to control a reproduction of the record information, which is recorded by the predetermined record format, with respect to an information record medium on which the record information can be recorded one time and on which an embossed pit array is not formed in the pre-record area; and a pre-record data writing process of writing pre-record data, which is a predetermined data row to disable overwriting on the record information, by laser-recording with respect to the pre-record area judged by the area judging process.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a second information recording method of recording record information onto an information record medium by a predetermined record format with irradiating a light beam at a predetermined power onto the information record medium. The second information recording method is provided with: a pre-record data judging process of judging whether pre-record data, which is a predetermined data row to disable overwriting on the record information, is formed as an embossed pit array or is formed by laser recording with respect to the information record medium on which the pre-record data has been already written; a modulation degree judging process of judging whether a modulation degree of a detection signal based on the pre-record data is low as compared with a predetermined reference; and a power controller for controlling a power of the light beam to be a record power for the pre-record area if the pre-record data is judged to be formed as the embossed pit array and if the modulation degree is judged to be low, and controlling the power of the light beam to be smaller than the record power for the pre-record area if the pre-record data is not judged to be formed as the embossed pit array or if the modulation degree is not judged to be low.
In one aspect of the first or second information recording method of the present invention, the information record medium has a lead-in area located prior to a data area where the record information is recorded, and the pre-record area is located in a control data area within the lead-in area.
In this case, the record information may be recorded on the information record medium by a DVD format, and the pre-record area may be set in an arrangement including at least a record area for predetermined control information in the control data area, same arrangement being repeated over a plurality of continuous ECC blocks each having a same data structure.
Further in this case, a lead position of the pre-record area may be set in an arrangement not overlapping with a synchronization code located at a lead of each synchronization frame constituting the ECC blocks.
Further in this case, when writing the record information onto the information record medium, the ECC blocks including the pre-record area may be generated by using a parity generated on the basis of the pre-record data and a predetermined data array set in advance.
Alternatively in this case, when writing the record information onto the information record medium, the ECC blocks including the pre-record area may be generated by using a parity, which is modified by applying a reverse operation based on the record data to be written and the pre-record data.
Further in this case, an area to which the reverse operation is to be applied may be judged among an area where the record information is written on the information record medium, and the reverse operation may be applied within the judged area.
According to the first or second information recording method of the present invention, in the same manner as the above described first or second information recording apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to effectively prevent the modulation degree from being reduced in the detection signal of the pre-record data due to the influence of the pigment film coated on the embossed pit array.
Further, it is possible to appropriately avoid overwriting onto various control information. It is possible to effectively avoid the illegal copy from the information record medium, on which the key data for scramble etc., is written in the disc production information for example, while it is possible to detect the synchronization code at the time of reproduction.
Furthermore, according to the information recording method in the aspect that the ECC is generated by using the parity generated on the basis of the pre-record data and the predetermined data array, even if there is mismatching of the parities at the time of generating the ECC blocks due o the pre-record data, it is possible to effectively avoid the illegal copy without introducing a drawback at the time of additionally writing the record information.
Alternatively, according to the information recording method in the aspect that the ECC blocks is generated by using the parity, which is modified by applying the reverse operation, since the mismatching of the parities at the time of generating the ECC blocks due to the pre-record data is cancelled, it is possible to effectively avoid the illegal copy while keeping the error correcting capability enough at the time of additionally writing the record information.
In this case, by applying the reverse operation within the judged area, since the mismatching of the parities at the time of generating the ECC blocks due to the pre-record data is cancelled by means of a relatively simple process, it is possible to effectively and simply avoid the illegal copy while keeping the error correcting capability enough at the time of additionally writing the record information.